Science Fact of the Day 3.6.12

Unlike some other animals, human nerves undergo a process called Wallerian Degenerationwhen injured. This means that after the injury to the nerve, the nerve endings will shrivel up and degenerate all the way back to the site of the nerve.

This process takes a long time because after degeneration the nerve must regrow all the way back to the area of injury like a vine growing back up a wall when you cut it.

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About the Author

Kyle Hill is a science writer and communicator who specializes in finding the secret science in your favorite fandom. His work has appeared in Wired, The Boston Globe, Scientific American, Popular Science, Discover Magazine, and more. He is a TV correspondent for Al Jazeera America's science and technology show TechKnow.